Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Oilers Pull Away, Beat Flyers 5-2

Can't even really fault Carter for that first one... McJesus moving laterally across the royal road will open any goalie up.

Two teams going in different directions. Flyers looking like sellers. A lot of hockey left but Flyers looking gassed.

Can someone check on Cam Atkinson. He appears to be missing.

They have mcdavid. We don’t. Puck game

Two teams going in different directions. Flyers looking like sellers. A lot of hockey left but Flyers looking gassed.

Can someone check on Cam Atkinson. He appears to be missing.
- coffee junkie

Yes. Atkinson has fallen off a cliff. I only notice he’s even playing when he does something bad. I think minimum sit the guy for a bit here. Bring a kid in.

Yes. Atkinson has fallen off a cliff. I only notice he’s even playing when he does something bad. I think minimum sit the guy for a bit here. Bring a kid in.
- Hextall271

Here is the question and I don't know the answer. Is this just a huge slump for Atkinson or is he cooked?

5 losses in the last 6. Wheels feeling off. 77% of teams who are in a playoff spot on thanksgiving make the playoffs. Can’t find the stat for those in playoff spots on Christmas but I’m sure it’s more than 77%. Let’s see how the rest of this season goes.

5 losses in the last 6. Wheels feeling off. 77% of teams who are in a playoff spot on thanksgiving make the playoffs. Can’t find the stat for those in playoff spots on Christmas but I’m sure it’s more than 77%. Let’s see how the rest of this season goes.
- PLindbergh31

It's 86% as of Christmas I do believe.

Here is the question and I don't know the answer. Is this just a huge slump for Atkinson or is he cooked?
- MJL

Perhaps with the injury he has lost a step or two and he's done. Don't know cause it's still a mystery as to what was actually wrong with him. Coots is doing better cause his game was never predicated on speed where as Atkinson is a smaller guy that darted in and out of the play. If he loses a step or two he could lose his game. I dunno either though.

It's 86% as of Christmas I do believe.
- Phillywhiteout

Those %s are probably heavily inflated by the top seed %s. Look at say 6-8 seeds, and it is probably 60%ish.

Two teams going in different directions. Flyers looking like sellers. A lot of hockey left but Flyers looking gassed.

Can someone check on Cam Atkinson. He appears to be missing.
- coffee junkie

Well Tortorella certainly found him. He had the second most TOI. In what universe can someone such as bad as he does and continue to log huge amounts of TOI....

Perhaps with the injury he has lost a step or two and he's done. Don't know cause it's still a mystery as to what was actually wrong with him. Coots is doing better cause his game was never predicated on speed where as Atkinson is a smaller guy that darted in and out of the play. If he loses a step or two he could lose his game. I dunno either though.
- Phillywhiteout

I don't see his speed or quickness being diminished. He is still getting scoring chances. He just can't finish.

Best part of the game - no ND. For most of the night it looked like men amongst boys. Not very many good skaters on the Flyers and it showed in spades....Oilers are a very fun team to watch.

I don't see his speed or quickness being diminished. He is still getting scoring chances. He just can't finish.
- MJL

He has bursts, but his overall game looks sluggish to me. He's my goat of last night's game. You fight all the way back and he takes a lazy ass penalty at a very bad juncture of the game. He really needs to take a seat next to ND.

Here is the question and I don't know the answer. Is this just a huge slump for Atkinson or is he cooked?
- MJL

I’m starting to think he’s cooked but I’d have to look at the advanced stats to see. Thing is, if it was truly a slump he would be doing some positive things. Hes not doing anything positive right now that I can tell.

Perhaps with the injury he has lost a step or two and he's done. Don't know cause it's still a mystery as to what was actually wrong with him. Coots is doing better cause his game was never predicated on speed where as Atkinson is a smaller guy that darted in and out of the play. If he loses a step or two he could lose his game. I dunno either though.
- Phillywhiteout

Very good points. I don’t know but if this goes on the rest of the year, then I’d say he’s cooked. He was getting chances before but not burying them. Lately it’s been a combination of limited opportunities and just bad errors all game from what I see.

I don't see his speed or quickness being diminished. He is still getting scoring chances. He just can't finish.
- MJL

But I have also felt that he’s either been invisible for large stretches and then you see him but only when he makes a bad play like last night. I hope he gets better. I’ve always liked him as a player.

He has bursts, but his overall game looks sluggish to me. He's my goat of last night's game. You fight all the way back and he takes a lazy ass penalty at a very bad juncture of the game. He really needs to take a seat next to ND.
- Phillywhiteout

That was a bad penalty to take and it cost the Flyers momentum. Unfortunately though, last night and this is a low bar. He was one of the more effective forwards in the game behind Konecny and Farabee.

Can't even really fault Carter for that first one... McJesus moving laterally across the royal road will open any goalie up.
- Tomahawk

I thought the first goal was the weakest originally but yeah, couldn’t have put it better. This was a game where you’d think the goalie didn’t bring his best game. I felt like the team crapped their pants every time McJesus was on the ice and gave him whatever he wanted. On the Draisaitl goal, it looked like all 3 forwards just stopped trying. I know it sounds like I’m dismissing McDavid but 5 points? Really??

Best part of the game - no ND. For most of the night it looked like men amongst boys. Not very many good skaters on the Flyers and it showed in spades....Oilers are a very fun team to watch.
- mr4tno

It's not just the advantage they have in speed player wise. They also play a faster game by design with breakouts and transition systems. Their regroup patterns are superior. Notice how many times in the game, instead of dumping in, they pulled the puck back and hit regroups to enter the zone with possession. The only issue is that Edmonton is vulnerable defensively in my opinion.

An attack mind like Knoblauch has, is the kind of hockey coach the Flyers need to add to their coaching staff. I just don't know if Tortorella would be open to any of it.

He has bursts, but his overall game looks sluggish to me. He's my goat of last night's game. You fight all the way back and he takes a lazy ass penalty at a very bad juncture of the game. He really needs to take a seat next to ND.
- Phillywhiteout

Absolutely the goat. I see him sitting for ND. ND draws back in for sure.

We all knew this was going to be a rough road trip. Now they have 13 games in the next 24 days. That’s a lot of hockey and a decent mix of good and not-so-good teams. After the game on the 27th vs Boston, we should have a clear picture of where this team actually stands.

As long as they play entertaining hard hockey, we should be happy. They need to be sellers and only moving talented players if the deal is a beneficial trade. That doesn’t change no matter what their record is on the 28th.

There’s been some discussion of Atkinson and here’s the perplexing thing for me: the shot is supposed to be the last thing to go, but it seems that Cam is still skating with some speed and agility, just can’t seem to execute with his shooting or passing. Weird.

Good to see Farabee finally getting more minutes including with the top line. Should just put him there and forget about it.

We all knew this was going to be a rough road trip. Now they have 13 games in the next 24 days. That’s a lot of hockey and a decent mix of good and not-so-good teams. After the game on the 27th vs Boston, we should have a clear picture of where this team actually stands.

As long as they play entertaining hard hockey, we should be happy. They need to be sellers and only moving talented players if the deal is a beneficial trade. That doesn’t change no matter what their record is on the 28th.

There’s been some discussion of Atkinson and here’s the perplexing thing for me: the shot is supposed to be the last thing to go, but it seems that Cam is still skating with some speed and agility, just can’t seem to execute with his shooting or passing. Weird.
- mikeyo27

He missed a whole year with a "neck" injury. Maybe it affected his strength and mobility in his shoulders and upper body. It could be permanent or just maybe he is still not 100%. His legs seem ok.

How is Rocky Thompson still employed?